Maguindanao Second District Rep. Esmael 'Toto' Mangudadatu has filed a measure requiring all local government units to allocate lots for the establishment of public cemeteries for Filipino Muslims.

The lawmaker pointed out that 'only a handful of [localized] cemeteries for Muslims [exist]' despite the growing number of them being relocated in parts of the country.

Mangudadatu filed House Bill (HB) 9589, also known as the 'Public Cemeteries Act for Filipino Muslims,' that seeks to strengthen the Sanitation Code of the Philippines through the establishment of public cemeteries for Muslim communities.

'All Filipinos have the right to worship and bury their loved ones in accordance with their religious beliefs - free from discrimination of any form or manner,' he said.

It is part of Muslims' culture and religious beliefs to bury their dead relatives in less than 24 hours upon their demise, Mangudadatu explained.

'This is why it is appropriate that we bury them in a place that can exclusively host the [bodies of] our departed Muslim brothers and sisters,' he said.

Under HB 9589, all cities and towns in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BARMM) in Muslim Mindanao are mandated to allocate at least two hectares of land for the establishment of a public Muslim cemetery.

Local governments in Metro Manila that host at least 1,000 Filipino Muslims are required to designate a minimum of 3,000 square meters for the same, while those outside the country's capital and BARMM should allocate at least 5,000 square meters.

These cemeteries should also have a public building that would house the cemetery administration office, a prayer room, and a separate hall for gatherings, among others.

Mangudadatu said the NCMF, together with the Department of the Interior and Local Government, shall be mandated to form a joint task force, to be in-charge of '[strictly monitoring] the immediate planning and implementation of this Act.'

'Like everyone else, we all [want] to give our loved ones the proper burial they deserve. This is why I am hoping that this legislation will be able to do just that,' the Maguindanao lawmaker said.